Emerald Visions
by Crypto-Mae
Summary: Haruno Sakura was always the brightest - and the weakest - member of Team 7. But physical prowess is not the only path to power. Now that a path for her alone has been revealed, will Kakashi be forced to watch as his student drowns in her fate?
1. Chapter 1: The Voice In The Night

A/N: So it's 2 am and I'm sick of statistical mechanics & blackbody radiation ;D I'd love comments...but please have mercy! It's my first try...  
  
A/N V.2.0: Sakura used to really tick me off. I mean, REALLY tick me off. "Oh, Sasuke-kun.." Yeah...whatever. But she's infinitely more tolerable now..and I dare say I almost like her =) So that's why she's the main character of this fic...BTW, it's NOT Kaka/Saku. Any scenes involving those two are purely platonic. While I don't mind the pairing per se, I'm not so good with writing those kinds of stories ;D  
  
Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto - but I wouldn't mind owning Kakashi. You know how it is.   
  
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Chapter 1: The Voice in the Night  
  
In all appearances, Konoha was this night as it was on any other night. The village was gently illuminated by the soft silver moonlight radiating from the cloudless night sky, and the silence broken only by leaves rustling quietly under the slow breeze. Yet there was something hanging in the air, irksome like a sentence unfinished. Beneath the surface was something intangible, the outwardly idyllic picture incomplete. Or at least, so thought Kakashi to himself as he slowly ambled home. Absorbed totally in his training, he had lost track of time and thus it was well past midnight as he walked through the sleeping town. He kept the outward appearance of nonchalance, but had his guard up for the entire duration of his walk home. While nothing happened to justify his uneasiness, he nonetheless cast the night a suspicious look before entering his apartment. His mind troubled, Kakashi fell into an uneasy slumber on a chair facing his bedroom window.  
  
Across town, Haruno Sakura dreamt.   
  
She instinctively knew that she was in some kind of room, but she could not see the walls.   
  
She tried to move, but couldn't tell if she was successful or not.  
  
She yelled, but there was no sound.  
  
Then came the voice.  
  
"It is almost time."  
  
"Time for what?" thought Sakura.  
  
"It will happen soon." the voice said simply.  
  
Sakura jolted awake before she could think up a reply. Panting heavily, she discovered to her dismay that her nightclothes were drenched in her sweat. She nervously got out of bed and went to the closet to get a change of clothes, the dream still vivid in her mind. As she made her way across her room, she caught a glimpse of her alarm clock. Judging by the time and the unlikelihood of getting back to sleep, she decided to dressed for the day and wait in the living room until it was time to meet up with her team. She was so preoccupied by what she had experienced that, as she changed, she failed to notice the shadow that flitted across her ceiling before fading into a wall.  
  
She was still shaken by the dream as she walked towards the daily meeting place. She idly noted that she was walking slower than usual, but it wasn't as if Kakashi-sensei would be on time anyways, she thought to herself.  
  
"Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" came Naruto's usual cheery voice.   
  
"Eh." said Sasuke, looking sullenly at the ground.  
  
"Good morning." said Kakashi.  
  
Sakura did a double-take, her brain having trouble registering her sensei's figure reclining languidly against a tree.  
  
"You're awfully early, Kakashi-sensei." said Sakura suspiciously.  
  
Kakashi laughed. "Well, you know how it is. You're always complaining about my lateness, so I figured that for once..."   
  
Sakura nodded, only half-satisfied with his answer.  
  
"Well then," continued Kakashi, "Since we're all assembled, let's get the mission on the road, shall we?"  
  
The mission was an easy one. One of the older women in the town had lost a valuable necklace, and Team 7 was dispatched to locate the missing item. As they somewhat reluctantly scoured the town, Kakashi's mind drifted onto his own thoughts.  
  
He had not intended to be on time that morning. He had gone to sleep in his bedroom, sitting his favorite chair. He had woken up, sitting propped up against a tree in the meeting area. He hadn't spoken a word of it to anyone. But it bothered him.   
  
His solitary musing was interrupted by an exclamation of triumph from behind him.   
  
"Found it!" crowed Sakura, holding up a necklace fitting the description of the lost piece.   
  
Kakashi forced a smile onto his countenance, and turned to face the proudly beaming genin.   
  
"Well done, Sakura." he said, taking the necklace from her and inspecting it. Satisfied that it was indeed the target of the search, he called the boys over.  
  
"I'll take the necklace back to its owner. You guys are dismissed for the day." said Kakashi.  
  
Naruto and Sakura cheered, and even Sasuke's expression brightened ever so slightly.  
  
"Good! I was hoping we'd get off early today, I have some errands to do." said Sakura happily. "I'll see you all tomorrow!"  
  
She turned to leave when she felt three pairs of eyes staring at her.   
  
"what?" she said, turning around.  
  
Naruto coughed. "Sakura-chan...You didn't ask Sasuke where he was going...or anything..." he said warily, bracing himself for Sakura's punch.   
  
It never came.  
  
"why would I care where Sasuke was going?" asked Sakura, without hesitation. She turned around again, and this time they watched her until she disappeared from their sight.   
  
"Yes!" cheered Naruto. "In your face, Sasuke. She doesn't like you anymore!"  
  
Sasuke scowled. It was better this way. But inside, though he wouldn't admit it, Sakura's comment bothered him. "Baka." he said. "I'm going home."  
  
Had they been more observant, they would have noticed the look of concern on their sensei's face, evident even underneath the everpresent mask.   
  
After an afternoon of shopping, Sakura was on her way home with an armful of groceries and various other necessities of life when Kakashi's voice came suddenly from her side.  
  
"Hello, Sakura. Need a hand with those parcels?" he said.  
  
Sakura jumped, almost dropping her purchases in the process.   
  
"Sensei!" she whined. "You scared me!"  
  
Kakashi laughed, and felt a little better. This was the Sakura that he knew.   
  
"Anyways," he said. "Don't you want a little help? Things'll get done faster, and I've got a surprise for you."  
  
Sakura looked at Kakashi questioningly. "Surprise?" she asked. "What type of surprise?"  
  
"There's a short mission that just came to my attention. Konohamaru is going to be at a friend's house until late, and he needs someone to walk him home. I was thinking that you and Sasuke would be perfect for this task." Kakashi said, smirking under his mask.  
  
Certain of Sakura's response, Kakashi was taken aback when Sakura blinked at him and said "But Naruto is Konohamaru's friend. Wouldn't he be a better choice?"  
  
Very few things caught the elite jounin by surprise. But this -  
  
Kakashi put a hand on Sakura's shoulder to stop her midstride. "Sakura." he said seriously. "Is everything alright?"  
  
Again, those clear green eyes raised to meet his. "Well...yes, of course, sensei..." Sakura said slowly. "Why wouldn't it be?"  
  
Kakashi let go of her, and they continued walking in silence. At Sakura's doorstep they parted ways.   
  
Sleep eluded Kakashi that night.   
  
In the darkness, the voice came to Sakura once again. And once again, Sakura woke to face her empty room. The moon cast an eerie glow on the picture of Team 7 resting on her tabletop. Staring at the picture blankly for several minutes, all her fear came to the surface and she broke down into tears. Muffling her sobs in her pillow so as to not wake her parents, she nonetheless longed for someone, anyone, to come and ease the fear...  
  
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Please let me know what you think! I haven't completely proofread this chapter yet, so if some sentences are convoluted or just badly worded, please forgive me (at least until after the school term is over, after which you can tear into me all you want =D) 


	2. Chapter 2: Kakashi's Role

Disclaimer: I own nothing but a slide rule and a calculus textbook...  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I always appreciate comments, and I'll try to improve my writing as per your suggestions.  
  
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Chapter 2: Kakashi's Role  
  
It was slightly past three o'clock in the morning when Kakashi gave up all hope of falling asleep. Swearing under his breath, Kakashi frustratedly pushed himself out of bed and began to pace his bedroom floor. Hands clasped behind his back, his usually calm exterior was shattered, and in the dark his handsome features were arranged in an expression reflective of the inner turmoil of his thoughts. His mind a whirling mess of information and speculation, he attempted to objectively evaluate the happenings of the previous day.   
  
Kakashi had woken up in a place different from where he had fallen asleep, without any evidence of struggle or having been drugged. After years of obvious infatuation, Haruno Sakura had effectively dismissed Uchiha Sasuke as unimportant to the boy's face, and passed up an easy opportunity to be alone with him. An expensive necklace had been lost, and his team had located it quickly in a place that had been previously searched many times. Somewhere in the far recesses of his mind, an idea sprung to life - but was smothered before it could rise to the level of conscious thought. Kakashi sighed. There had to be a connection somewhere. His train of thought having hit an unsurmountable barrier, he decided to calm himself by taking a walk through the crisp, cool night air.   
  
Hastily throwing on his usual ninja garb, Kakashi wandered through the streets, alert but paying little heed to his surroundings. Suddenly a strange sensation came over him, and out of the corner of his one revealed eye he noted an irregularly shaped shadow moving swiftly across a picket fence. Narrowing his eyes, he lifted his forehead protector to uncover the Sharingan, but not in time to catch the mysterious shadow before it disappeared. It was only then that he noticed where he was. Kakashi's nocturnal stroll had led him to stop outside the Haruno household.  
  
"Hmm...Isn't that coincidence." he said aloud to himself, eyebrows raised. Then he heard it - muffled sobbing noises coming from an open window. The light was on inside the room.   
  
The Sharingan still revealed, he walked up the front path and quietly onto the lawn to stop beneath the window. Hesitantly, he whispered "Sakura?"  
  
After a moment's pause, he saw a flash of pink, then Sakura's face looking down at him through the window. "Kakashi-sensei?" she said slowly, sniffing. "Come...in..."  
  
Kakashi looked around to no avail for something to climb. He shrugged. Sakura had moved away from the window, so in a flash he jumped through the window to land in her bedroom. Then he took a closer look at his student.  
  
Sakura sat on her bed, hugging her legs to her chest and breathing unevenly. Her normally smooth pink hair was uncombed, matted and wet from her tears. Her green eyes, fixed upon a spot on the ground in front of her, gave away that she had been crying. Except for an occasional unrepressable sob, she was completely still. Kakashi felt a surge of anger flow through him.  
  
"Sakura. What happened here." he said through clenched teeth, a dangerous edge to his tone. His hand hovered by his side, ready to extract his kunai from its hiding place.  
  
He watched as she attempted to regain her composure, and slowly shook her head. "Nothing happened..." she gasped, her breathing ragged. "I just..there was a voice."   
  
And at that, tears quietly began flowing freely down her face.  
  
Kakashi sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around Sakura protectively. She sobbed into his vest, as he sat motionless, waiting patiently for her to finish, but impatient for an explanation. Gradually he heard her breathing return to normal. She slowly pushed herself away from him.  
  
Kakashi moved back, and said gently, "Do you want to tell me what happened?"  
  
Her gaze once again fixed on her bedroom floor, she said hesitantly, "I had a dream...twice...I'm in a dark room. I can't get out, and I can sense that there's no one with me. But then, this voice..." Here she drifted off.   
  
"Yes?" prodded Kakashi.  
  
"The voice..." she continued, with some effort. "It's not a threatening voice - it's insistent, but not dangerous. And...it sounds almost...sad..."  
  
Silence settled upon the two of them. Kakashi finally broke the silence with a question "What does the voice say, Sakura?"  
  
Sakura turned to look directly into Kakashi's eyes. Even the Sharingan widened under the strength of her gaze as she said, "It tells me that it will happen soon."  
  
There was an awkward pause as Kakashi took a moment to process what he had just been told. What will happen soon? Was it only a bad dream? His Sharingan had seen nothing strange about her, but considering the strange events of late... One look at Sakura's huddled up, miserable figure decided the answer. Kakashi stood up and closed the window. Closing his eyes briefly, he slid the forehead protector back to its usual position before turning back to face Sakura. She was staring in his direction, but she seemed to be looking through him.   
  
"Sakura."  
  
Sakura started, then focused her gaze on Kakashi. He noted that her tears had dried, and she looked up at him expectantly.  
  
"Tomorrow morning, you and I are going to take a trip to speak to some people, and look through the Konoha archives." he said, uncomfortably aware of the pressure he was under to say something reassuring. He coughed. "Sakura..."  
  
Sakura heaved a sigh and began "Don't worry about me, sensei, I'll be fine ---"  
  
Kakashi cut her off. "We're going to get to the bottom of this."  
  
Sakura blinked rapidly, then gave Kakashi a small smile. He heartened at that sight, and forcing himself to speak in a confident tone, added "We have a long day ahead of us. I'll stay right here until you fall asleep, okay?"  
  
She nodded. Somehow she knew that with Kakashi there, the voice would not come. She felt safe.  
  
Kakashi watched his student fall into a peaceful slumber, and was half way out the window when Sakura suddenly cried out in her sleep. He sighed to himself, climbed back into her room and sat down on her floor. He pulled out his trusty book and settled comfortably into reading. It was almost daybreak anyways.  
  
The morning found Naruto and Sasuke walking side by side towards Sakura's house. Sasuke wore a sullen expression on his face, walking briskly with smooth, measured strides. Naruto was bouncing up and down, speculating out loud about possible reasons for the sudden change of meeting venue.   
  
"Why didn't Kakashi-sensei tell us himself that the meeting place changed?" he wondered.  
  
Sasuke ignored him.  
  
"Why did he send Pakkun instead of telling us himself?" insisted Naruto.  
  
Sasuke heaved a sigh.  
  
"Why did the dog call me a stupid fox?" he pouted.  
  
Sasuke rolled his eyes.  
  
"Why are we going to Sakura-chan's house?"  
  
Sasuke quickened his pace, but Naruto matched his step.  
  
"Why wasn't Sakura-chan at the meeting place?"  
  
Sasuke stopped, and glared at Naruto. Naruto froze.  
  
"Maybe because she's at her house, dobe." Sasuke said, biting off every word.  
  
They walked in silence for a minute. And only a minute.  
  
"Why is Sakura-chan still at home?"  
  
By the time they arrived at their destination, Sasuke was seething. Sakura'd better have an amazing explanation for this, he thought to himself grimly. What had that silly girl gotten herself into this time? While she wasn't anywhere near as annoying as she used to be, having to save her all the time was kind of getting on his nerves.  
  
Naruto got to the door first, bounding up the steps and ringing the doorbell with unnecessary enthusiasm. When the door opened slowly, Naruto cheerfully began "Ohayo, Saku--"  
  
Standing in the doorway was Kakashi, his droopy eye was even more sleepy looking than usual.  
  
The boys were both taken aback by the unexpected appearance of their sensei. "Kakashi-sensei!" exclaimed Naruto. "What are you doing in Sakura-chan's house?"  
  
Sasuke shot Naruto an ice glare, but was secretly wondering the same thing. Instead, he asked quietly "What happened to Sakura?"  
  
Kakashi wasn't surprised that Sasuke had arrived at that conclusion. He had a shrewd mind, that one. Kakashi opened his mouth to tell them about the situation when a sudden thought held him back. Their presence wouldn't be required for what he planned to accomplish that day. Besides, there was no way to explain in words what Sakura was experiencing, especially since he wasn't completely sure himself.   
  
As such, Kakashi merely summoned up his usual nonchalant demeanor and said "Hnn...What? Nothing happened to Sakura. She's just not feeling so well, that's all, so I was checking up on her."  
  
Sasuke raised an eyebrow skeptically, but said nothing. Naruto accepted Kakashi's explanation without a second thought.  
  
"Hey, hey, is Sakura-chan okay?" he asked, worriedly.  
  
Kakashi laughed. "Of course she is. She'll be fine tomorrow." Naruto grinned happily.  
  
Kakashi continued, "Our usual routine will resume tomorrow, but for today I've arranged for the two of you could train with Gai-sensei's team. They should be at academy training grounds."  
  
If Sasuke's eyebrow could go any higher, it would have.  
  
Naruto went bug-eyed. "Whaaaaaat??" he yelled. "Whyyyyyyy???"  
  
Sasuke shot one final look at Kakashi, who returned his student's scruntinizing gaze with a bemused, calm stare that betrayed nothing of his inner thoughts. Then Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the collar and dragged him off, still complaining, in the direction of the academy.  
  
Kakashi watched them go. Convinced that they were following his instructions, Kakashi then turned to go back into the house. Time to think of a way to explain his presence to Sakura's parents. 


	3. Chapter 3: The Meeting

Disclaimer: For {n | n an element of N, n 0}, let n represent the number of the chapter of this story. Therefore for all n, I do not own Naruto.  
  
A/N: There's a hint of Neji having an interest in Tenten..and Sasuke as well, but it's nothing major. All part of the master plan - but I thought it fair to warn you.  
  
Some stuff to clear up...  
  
(a) I think it'd be fairly obvious to a smart cookie like Kakashi that Sakura liked Sasuke. After all, one of the first things Sakura did in front of Kakashi was dissolve into giggles while staring right at the aforementioned Uchiha boy...*sighs* What are you going to do.  
  
(b) Uh...I guess you could read into Kakashi's motives however you want, but it's not intentional on my part...  
  
(c) To be honest, I think the first chapter was my best as well...but it's not for lack of effort =)   
  
As always, thanks for the reviews!! I appreciate it.  
  
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Chapter 3 : The Meeting  
  
Sakura's mother came running downstairs with the intention of answering the doorbell just as Kakashi was closing the door behind him. Catching sight of an unfamiliar figure looking up at her from the bottom of the stairs, she stopped abruptly and stared. Kakashi felt the need to act quickly.   
  
"Eh...Ohayo gozaimasu..." he said, bowing.  
  
Having recovered from her initial shock, it didn't take long for Mrs. Haruno to piece together the identity of the man who stood before her. Her newly acquired knowledge was by no means reassuring. Here in her house, for some unknown reason, was Hatake Kakashi - first and foremost a dangerous man, her daughter's jounin sensei or otherwise.   
  
Acutely aware of her discomfort and feeling every bit of the awkwardness of the situation, Kakashi stood upright and put one hand behind his head in a gesture of good-natured embarassment.   
  
"Gomen nasai, your door was unlocked. Is Sakura up yet? She's late for her mission", he lied.   
  
He'd rather Sakura's mother think him rude, than think that he was stalking her daughter in dead of night.  
  
Mrs. Haruno narrowed her eyes in a mixture of apprehension and mild annoyance. "Just a moment please," she said. "She might still be asleep. I'll go get her."  
  
Kakashi watched her retreating figure, then leaned against the wall to wait. His eyes closed involuntarily. After a few minutes had passed, he sensed Sakura's approach.  
  
His eyes reopened to see Sakura standing in front of him, expressionless, clad in her usual apparel.  
  
"Hey, Sakura." he said calmly. "Shall we be off then?"  
  
As they passed through the front yard, he could feel Mrs. Haruno's eyes boring through his back.   
  
When they were out of visual range, Kakashi let out a brief sigh. Pakkun had been busy that morning, going on his behalf to Gai to request a favor and then to Tsunade to request an audience. And they still had an entire day ahead of them.  
  
Sakura looked up. "Kakashi-sensei?" she said in a questioning tone.  
  
Kakashi looked down at her as they walked, and grinned from under the mask. "Ha, I don't think your mother likes me very much." he said sheepishly.  
  
Sakura laughed, something he hadn't seen her do for a long time. "She's just miffed because I've been neglecting my chores, that's all - and I think she blames you for part of it."  
  
"What?" he replied, his visible eye widening in a mixture of amusement and surprise. "What did I do?"  
  
"If your missions didn't take so long, I'd have more time to spend at home." she said pointedly.  
  
"Heh, if you guys worked better as a team, the missions wouldn't take so long," drawled Kakashi.  
  
Sakura merely stuck out her tongue in response.  
  
  
  
The atmosphere between them was comfortable until a bothersome thought suddenly occured to Sakura.  
  
"Kakashi-sensei." Her voice had lost all of its former lightness.  
  
"Hnn?" he answered.  
  
"...Did you tell Sasuke-kun and Naruto about...me...?"  
  
Kakashi paused in midstride. Sakura stopped to look back at him.  
  
"No..I didn't." he said after a moment's hesitation.  
  
This seemed to surprise her. "Why not?" she asked, curious.   
  
Kakashi shrugged, and they continued walking. "There's nothing to tell until we know more." he said. He sounded unconvincing, even to himself.   
  
Sakura let it go. While she had taken Kakashi's lectures on openness and teamwork to heart, on the inside she was grateful for his recitence. She deeply valued the strong bond that existed between the members of Team 7, but always nagging was the sure knowledge that Sasuke, and even Naruto, thought her weak. She was no fool. She knew that they had ample reason to think her as such. But all the same, she would rather not strengthen their image of her as helpless.   
  
"I hate it." she said aloud.  
  
Kakashi shot her a look, taken aback by her outburst. But he didn't think it wise to draw attention to her comment. They passed Kikyou Castle in silence, drawing nearer to their destination.  
  
  
  
When they arrived, an unremarkable looking attendant ushered Sakura and Kakashi into the Godaime's office. The decor hadn't changed much, noted Kakashi with mild interest. The portraits of the former Hokages hung on the wall to his side. He felt a brief surge of panic, feeling as though they too, along with the woman in front of him, were scrutinizing his every movement. Suppressing his nervousness he cleared his throat to begin, but Tsunade beat him to it.   
  
"So, Hatake Kakashi, what can I do for you and..." She paused briefly to look at her notes, and continued "...Haruno Sakura, yes?"  
  
Sakura nodded.  
  
Kakashi put a comforting hand on Sakura's shoulder, and gently said "This is your story to tell, Sakura."  
  
Tsunade turned her attention to the quiet pink-haired girl, her curiousity piqued.   
  
"I've been having these dreams lately..." began Sakura, feeling silly even as she spoke. She adamantly fought back the tears that were welling up and threatening to spill out of her glistening emerald eyes.  
  
Am I wasting everyone's time? she thought angrily to herself.  
  
The feel of Kakashi's hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality. She continued her story, her tone resolute. "I'm in a dark room, and I can't see or sense anyone. But then there's a voice. And the voice..." Here she broke off, her voice cracking slightly.  
  
Unsure of what to make of Kakashi's student or her story, it was mostly out of deference to the well-respected jounin that Tsunade wordlessly urged Sakura to continue with a slight nod.  
  
Sakura found her voice again, and finished "The voice just says 'It will happen soon.'"  
  
Though he didn't show it, Kakashi was taken aback by the effect that Sakura's words had on Tsunade. As he watched, Leaf Village's Hokage paled visibly. Sakura's gaze was fixed on the ground, so she noticed nothing.  
  
An uncomfortable silence blanketed the room until finally Tsunade said in a quiet tone "Sakura, I'd like to speak to your sensei alone for a minute. If it's alright with you, just step right outside and my attendant will show you to a waiting room where you can relax."  
  
Sakura looked up at Kakashi as if asking for approval. He nodded. Sakura gave Tsunade a small smile, and said sincerely "Thank you." Then she left.  
  
Tsunade waited for the door to close before she began. Motioning for Kakashi to take a seat on one of the couches in the far corner, she moved out from behind her desk to join him.   
  
"Kakashi, why don't you tell me more about your student?" It came out as more of an order than a request.  
  
Kakashi was about to speak when he realized that he really didn't know that much about Sakura apart from what he'd directly observed as her sensei. Tsunade noted the hesitation, and seeking to alleviate his discomfort, added "Let's start with the basics."  
  
Kakashi complied readily. "Haruno Sakura, 12 years old, Genin-level ninja. Under my command together with Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Chakra control superior to her teammates, but she has neither their stamina, power or prowess on the battlefield. Exceptionally bright, but again not so effective in combat" he summarized.  
  
Tsunade nodded slowly. "Just one more question, Kakashi. When is Sakura's birthday?"  
  
Kakashi blinked. "...Uh...February..." he hedged.  
  
Seeing that Tsunade wanted a real answer, he reluctantly pulled out his well-worn copy of Icha Icha Paradise. Her eyes bulged. "What..." she said, a dangerous edge to her voice.  
  
"Relax, Hokage-sama..." Kakashi said hastily. He flipped to the back, revealing a series of names and dates scrawled on the inside cover. He scanned them quickly, then returned his book to his pocket. "March 28th."  
  
Tsunade got up and began to walk the floor of the room. Her face was impossible to read. After the longest minute of Kakashi's life, she said "Kakashi, I want to you to go to your student. There are some things that must be taken care of on our end first. It will take a couple days, but I will send for you when we are done."  
  
Kakashi got on his feet, and was about to leave when he paused. "Hokage-sama. Is Sakura in any danger?"  
  
Her back half turned to him, the only response he got was a tired shrug.  
  
Bowing, he took his leave, leaving Gondaime standing alone in her office, staring out the window at the peaceful town below. Once she was sure that Kakashi had gone, she called out "Shizune!"  
  
Shizune came into the room and bowed. "Tsunade-sama..." she trailed off as she noted Tsunade's expression.  
  
Tsunande sank into her chair, cradling her head in her hands. She suddenly had a headache. "Go down to where we keep the archives. Bring me everything we have left on Shiraishi Miyako."  
  
Sakura was reading an old magazine when Kakashi entered the waiting room. While the meeting had left him drained, Sakura seemed by comparison much cheerier than when he had last seen her.   
  
"Oh, Kakashi-sensei! What did she say?" Sakura said, running across the room to meet him.   
  
He gave her a strained smile. "Eh, not much. They'll do some investigating, and then get back to us."  
  
She noticed that Kakashi's mood had dampened significantly, but she didn't think it prudent to mention it to him. Instead, she asked "Where are Sasuke-kun and Naruto?"  
  
Kakashi answered "We're can go get them now. I had them train with Gai's team today. I didn't think we'd be done so early."  
  
Sakura looked at the timekeeper on the wall. Indeed, it was still only early afternoon.  
  
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"Dammit!" swore Naruto as he was thrown backwards to land heavily against an unrelenting tree trunk. Getting up slowly and shaking his head to clear his blurry vision, he thought he heard Hyuga Neji snicker.  
  
The sound made his blood boil...but it wasn't the genius of the Hyuuga clan that he was fighting. Neji was sitting on a tree branch, watching the procedings with great interest. Naruto's actual opponent was Tenten. And right now, he was sprawled out on the ground, and she was having some difficulty in helping him to stand up.   
  
"I can't believe it...she's cute...but so damn violent..." he muttered to himself. In his mind he could hear Kakashi telling him that his basic skills needed work, and he grudgingly admitted to himself that the jounin had a point. He emitted a groan as he brought a hand to where a shuriken had nicked his brow.   
  
Stepping back, Tenten cocked her head to one side and surveyed the damage that she had done. "You'll be okay." she said comfortingly.  
  
Neji jumped down from his vantage point to land beside his teammate. "Nicely done." he said simply.  
  
Tenten turned to him and smiled, pleased. "Thanks, Neji."  
  
Sasuke had left the group earlier, ostensibly to train on his own. And he had, for a while, before curiousity had led him to watch the training match between Tenten and Naruto. He was surprised to find that reports of Tenten's talent with weapons had not been exaggerated. Naruto, without calling on the Kyuubi, would have difficulty defeating her. She was no where near fast enough to fool his Sharingan, but while she posed no direct threat to him, he was nonetheless impressed. "Against her, Sakura wouldn't stand a chance," he found himself thinking.  
  
"She's good, isn't she." came a deadpan voice from behind him.  
  
Sasuke didn't need to turn around to identify the speaker. He shrugged nonchalantly and answered "I suppose so, yes. But no match for you."  
  
Neji scoffed. "And no match for you, either."   
  
Sasuke and Neji stood beside each other for a brief moment. Two top graduates. Two advanced bloodlines. Two troubled pasts.  
  
Two stubborn boys.  
  
Neji finally broke the silence. "Uchiha." he said, his pale eyes staring right through Sasuke. "Don't tempt me. Know that I will do what I deem necessary with no regrets."  
  
Sasuke smiled with a confidence that would have infuriated anyone except for the implacable Neji. "Now, Hyuuga. Afraid of some competition?"  
  
Neji started to walk away, but then paused. There was a frightening chill to his voice as he said "You will not be warned a second time."  
  
Sasuke watched Neji leave. He shrugged. He wasn't entirely sure what that whole exchange was about, but he had a vague idea.  
  
Uchiha Sasuke was not one to back down from a challenge.  
  
Gai met Kakashi and Sakura at the entrance to the training grounds. "Why hello!" he said, flashing an ultra-white smile at Sakura and his rival.  
  
"Hey, Gai. Thanks for taking my students in for the morning, eh?" said Kakashi, leaning against the gate opening.  
  
Gai was inwardly annoyed at Kakashi's cool behavior, but he said nothing, choosing to grin at Sakura instead. "How are you? Lee has told me much about you!"  
  
Sakura's eyes widened. "Ooookay..." she said, smiling. "Hello, Gai-sensei. Is Lee-san feeling much better?"  
  
Gai nodded happily. "He's resting at home. I'll tell him that you asked about him" he answered. Inside, he was ecstatic. She had asked about Lee! Score one for him!   
  
Kakashi stretched and yawned. "If it's alright, can I retrieve my team members?" he asked, smiling.  
  
"Of course. I had Naruto and Tenten train together, but they should be done by now." answered Gai.   
  
They followed him into the forest. As they neared the clearing they could see Tenten kneeling next to Naruto's sitting figure, lecturing him about keeping his wounds clean. Naruto appeared to have a number of small cuts all over his body. Neji was standing over Tenten, his face an expressionless mask. Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Kakashi stepped into the clearing first. "What's this, Naruto? I can't leave you alone without you getting hurt?" he drawled.  
  
Naruto jumped up, ignoring the protests of his already healing body. "Hey, hey, Kakashi-sensei! I did okay for the first bit, but then there was this huge explosion of metal stuff!"  
  
Sakura looked at Tenten, who was intently polishing her kunais while Neji stared balefully into a spot in the underbrush. "I wish I was that strong." she thought to herself.  
  
Then she saw Sasuke heading towards them from where Neji had been staring. She turned her gaze expectantly towards him, but he had eyes only for Tenten.   
  
"That was an impressive showing."  
  
Tenten looked up in surprise. "Thank you." she said simply.  
  
"You must train very hard and very often." Sasuke wasn't much with words, but something about him made him attractive to the opposite gender. Neji was fully aware of this, and though Tenten was mostly confused by the sudden attention she was getting from a boy she had never spoke to before, his patience was fast approaching break point.   
  
"She trains with me." said Neji, pale eyes glaring daggers at Sasuke.  
  
Sasuke merely smiled.  
  
Sakura watched the exchange, feeling evermore the outsider. Why was Sasuke so interested in Tenten all of a sudden?  
  
(because she's strong)  
  
Sakura felt a shiver run down her spine. But she didn't care this much about Sasuke yesterday -   
  
(because you were strong then...but not now)  
  
Sakura gave a small cry and ran off into the woods, leaving the others to stare at the spot where she had been standing in surprise.  
  
Sasuke turned to Kakashi, a questioning look in his eyes. Kakashi shrugged in reply. Gesturing for him to stay put, he took off after Sakura. She wouldn't be difficult to find.  
  
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Hmmm...the next few chapters are going to take some planning..but I'll try to put them out soon. I'll try to polish up the old chapters as I go along.  
  
Thanks for reading! 


	4. Chapter 4: The Threshold

Disclaimer: By induction, the previous disclaimer holds.  
  
A/N: Sorry about the wait! It's been weeks of final projects and labs, but finally there's a bit of a hiatus...and I'll probably manage to get the next chapter in before my next exam =) Thanks for the reviews! Hope this chapter lives up to your expectations...if not, please let me know!  
  
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Chapter 4: The Threshold  
  
Left standing in the clearing with the remaining four genin, Gai patiently kept a watchful eye over his charges. Naruto had already made several failed attempts to follow Kakashi, and judging by his restless behavior, he was already preparing his next attempt. While Gai had thwarted him every time thus far, Naruto's Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and seemingly bottomless chakra reserves rendered pursuit incredibly troublesome. Gai moved his gaze to the other three who, in a sharp contrast to Naruto, seemed perfectly resigned to waiting. Tenten, Sasuke and Neji were standing to one side of the clearing, talking quietly amongst themselves. Gai looked out at the forest, fidgeting from the monotony of his current situation. Why did all the exciting things always happen to his eternal rival instead of him?  
  
Naruto perked up suddenly, noticing Gai's distraction. He edged slowly to his right.  
  
Unfortunately for Naruto, Gai was still alert enough to notice the slight movement. "Naruto!" he warned.  
  
Naruto bolted, and Gai took off after him.  
  
Neji looked up at the small piece of sky visible through the treetops, sighing. Tenten laughed.  
  
"You have a wonderful laugh." came Sasuke's calm voice.  
  
Tenten turned her head to look at Sasuke. He was essentially a stranger to her, but from what she had gathered in their short time together, this comment seemed severely out of character. However, she also knew by repute that Uchiha Sasuke was considered quite a heartthrob. Thus, though she was wary of his intentions, she was nonetheless flattered by his attention. Oblivious to the pure disgust worn plainly on Neji's face, she smiled hesitantly and answered slowly "Uh...thank you..."  
  
Sasuke deliberately met Neji's gaze. His onyx eyes clashed briefly with Neji's pale orbs before he smirked and turned his back on them. Hands in his pockets, he nonchalantly walked along the edge of the clearing, coming to a stop some slight distance away.  
  
And to think that he might even have settled for Sakura. Tenten was perfect. Only the Hyuuga stood in his way.  
  
As Sasuke moved away, Neji stood in silence, quietly fuming. "Who does this boy think he is?" he thought hotly. Tenten was his. She was his teammate, his comrade, his peer, his training partner...just simply...his. How dare this upstart Uchiha saunter into their lives and attempt to upset the balance of things? His pale eyes continued to bore into Sasuke's back, his face no longer betraying his inner emotions but his aura one of radiating resentment.   
  
Tenten had been teamed with Neji long enough to know when his mind was not at ease. Though she wasn't sure what the current source of his annoyance was, she was willing to try anything to get him out of that mood. She sought to alleviate the tension hanging in the air by starting a conversation about the only thing she and Neji ever talked about - work.  
  
"Your kaiten is almost perfect now, Neji." she began.   
  
Neji was startled out of his angry introspective by the sound of her voice. The briefest of smiles flickered across his expression before, in tranquil tones, he answered her. "My chakra control still leaves something wanting. I can feel the waste when I spin...It is not yet at the level that I want it."  
  
Tenten smiled. "How like you. Well, Hokage-sama loaned me a series of new scrolls to look over. There's a new technique that I'd like to try out on you."  
  
"That would be acceptable."  
  
Their conversation was halted by Sasuke's return. "What's taking Kakashi-sensei so long?" Sasuke wondered aloud. "Sakura isn't nearly skilled enough to elude him."  
  
Tenten frowned. "That's not a very complimentary thing to say about your teammate."  
  
Sasuke shrugged. "It's true. Every team has one member that always needs rescuing. With my team, that member is almost infallibly Sakura."  
  
"With our team, it's usually Lee." said Neji, adding "Speaking of Lee, didn't you lose a fight to him?"  
  
Eyes narrowed, Sasuke retorted "For a former number one rookie who lost to the dead-last ranked genin in all of Konoha, you've got a lot of nerve."  
  
Neji's fists clenched briefly, then relaxed. When his voice finally came, it was laced with a quiet fury. "Remember to whom you are speaking, Uchiha. Remember where the roots of your vaunted Sharingan lie."  
  
A derisive snort from Sasuke. "Ah yes. I apologize. How could I forget. Hyuuga is the strongest of the Leaf." he said sarcastically.  
  
Neji walked towards Sasuke until they were virtually face to face. "Do you dare doubt it?" he said, his face unreadable.  
  
Tenten looked from Neji to Sasuke and back again. What the hell was going on? "Guys..." she began, but they were not listening.  
  
Sasuke smiled slightly. "What if I do?" he said deliberately.  
  
Neji nodded. They had come to an understanding, and it had come to this. An ominous silence settled over them, one so dangerous in its thickness that Tenten unconsciously backed away. Then suddenly, the two boys sprung apart from each other to land on opposite ends of the clearing.  
  
"Byukugan!"  
  
"Sharingan!"  
  
Tenten gasped. "What are you doing?!" she yelled, her voice shrill with something like panic.  
  
"I was about to ask the same thing." came a voice from behind her. Tenten turned to see Gai surveying the scene before him, holding a squirming Naruto by the collar. "Neji! Sasuke! Stand down immediately!" he barked, his voice brooking no disobedience.  
  
The two adversaries glared at each other, but they complied with Gai's order. Gai watched, secretly relieved, as the veins on Neji's forehead receded and the red faded from Sasuke's eyes. The lecture that followed fell upon deaf ears as the boys stood side by side, rigid and looking straight ahead. Before they were forced to stop, they had shared a look. A look of mutual agreement.  
  
They were not finished.  
  
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Kakashi navigated through the thick foliage with an ease that comes with familiarity, leaping from branch to branch with the speed for which he was well known. Sakura's state of mind be truly troubled, he thought to himself. The trail she left was messy and easy to follow. He hadn't set out long before his attention was caught by a reflected gleam of light. Judging it to have originated somewhere from almost directly below him, he swiftly decscended to ground level, expecting to confront Sakura.  
  
Placed neatly on the ground in front of where he landed was a forehead protector bearing the mark of Konoha. A stray strand of pink hair had attached itself to the underlying blue cloth.  
  
He swore under his breath, and uncovering the Sharingan, looked around for some indication of where she had gone. He had to stop underestimating that girl.   
  
Moreover - he had to find her.  
  
Kakashi was about to resume his pursuit when he heard a distant voice from somewhere to his left yell "Kakashi!" He turned and waited for the owner of the voice to show herself. It was Anko.  
  
"Kakashi, Hokage-sama wants to see you. Now." she said in terse tones.   
  
Kakashi was in no mood to be ordered around by his peers. "Anko-san," he said civilly, "Could this not wait? I'm looking for my student..."  
  
Anko cut him off sparingly. "This is a direct order from the fifth herself." Her eyes narrowed. "I am not permitted to return unless you are with me."  
  
Kakashi gestured helplessly. "Okay, okay. Then what am I to do about Sakura? She took off without warning, and I can't just leave her out there."  
  
A flicker of surprise crossed Anko's face. "Haruno Sakura? Is that who you're looking for?"  
  
Kakashi waited for an explanation while Anko pondered this new piece of information. Finally, she spoke. "In that case, you come with me, and I'll have an ANBU squad take over the search."  
  
Kakashi's reaction was immediate and unrestrained. "What?!" he exclaimed. "You're going to send ANBU to locate Sakura? What the hell for? What's going on?"  
  
"Come with me and Hokage-sama will tell you herself."  
  
There was nothing he could do but comply.  
  
Kakashi was not one to readily show emotion, but by the time he was ushered into Tsunade's office, he was about ready to explode. Anko's staunch unwillingness to divulge any sort of information had irked him greatly. Should Tsunade attempt anything similar, he thought darkly to himself, Hokage or not, he was going to do something drastic. Luckily for him, it never came to that. Aftering ordering him to sit down and offering him a drink, Tsunade got straight to the point.   
  
"Kakashi, have you ever heard of Shiraishi Miyako?"  
  
His eyebrows furrowed, he briefly ran through a list of names in his mind before answering in the negative.  
  
Tsunade nodded. "That's what I expected."  
  
Though Kakashi was somewhat confused by her response, he allowed Tsunade to continue without interruption.  
  
"Shiraishi Miyako was in my class at the academy. She graduated and was made a genin along with the rest of us. She had no special abilities, but was extremely bright."  
  
At this, Kakashi leaned forward slightly as if to speak. Tsunade silenced him with a raised hand. He relaxed back into the chair.  
  
"The girl was a friend of mine. We had grown up together. But she did not have an easy life. The only ninja in her family, she was encouraged to quit, especially after it became evident that she did not have an aptitude for physical combat. However, later in her life, rumors persisted that she had attained the ability to perform 'mind-jutsus'."  
  
Kakashi could no longer help himself. "You mean, genjutsu? Because Sakura does show the beginnings of talent in that area..."  
  
"The rumors told of their being stronger than genjutsu."  
  
A moment passed before Kakashi said hesitantly, "So you think that Shiriashi Miyako...is somehow responsible for Sakura's aberrant behavior? And the other strange events?"  
  
Tsunade shook her head, suddenly tired. "I don't know what to think. You see, Shiraishi Miyako died thirty years ago."  
  
She got up and walked to face Sandaime's portrait hanging on the wall. Sighing, she turned around again to face Kakashi. "I know Miyako's story, but I do not know Sakura. I called you here because I thought of all people, you would have the most insight into any possible connections between them."  
  
Kakashi gave a slight nod, and Tsunade sank heavily down onto her chair.   
  
"I'll start from the beginning."  
  
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Leaves rushed past her in a gush of green as beams of yellow light danced across her field of vision. Slightly disoriented, Sakura ran until she was out of breath. She didn't know, and didn't care where she was going. She had to escape -   
  
(Escape what?)  
  
Though she tried, not a sound escaped her lips. "Leave me alone!" she screamed in her mind. Seeing a small hollow rock enclosure to her left, she ran to it and collapsed onto her knees, panting for air. A violent cough racked her body as she held back sobs.  
  
(I can make the pain go away)  
  
"Go away!"  
  
(I can make you strong)  
  
"Don't give me that! I saw what thoughts like that did to Sasuke!"  
  
(I am not like Orochimaru)  
  
Sakura felt her heart skip a beat. "How did you know about..." she wondered.  
  
(I was never like Orochimaru)  
  
She cradled her head in her hands. "Then what are you like?!"  
  
A pause. Then,  
  
(I am like you)  
  
Sakura felt a chill run down her spine as she sensed the presence of another behind her. She jumped to her feet and whirled around, kunai in hand. Nothing in the world could have prepared her for what she saw. 


	5. Chapter 5: The Girl Behind the Voice

Disclaimer: Previous disclaimer holds by induction.  
  
A/N: Just a clarification about the Sasuke/Neji/Tenten thing - Neji does NOT love Tenten per se (as it stands, I don't think that boy's capable of that kind of feeling just yet). He just...doesn't like outside interference. As for Sasuke's behavior, which I openly admit is somewhat OOC, all will be explained in due time =) This chapter contains some explanations, and some hints...  
  
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Chapter 5: The Girl Behind the Voice  
  
A flood of memories and conflicting emotions washed over Tsunade. Haunting images that she kept buried in the far recesses of her mind rushed unbidden to the surface, bringing back in full force all the searing pain of the past. The passage of time, though purported to be a healing salve for all wounds, did nothing to diminish the vividness of her recollections. She could still see Miyako grinning from ear to ear, her head playfully tilted to one side, her long black hair tousled from the wind. Miyako's motionless figure sprawled out on the forest floor, her face drained of blood, her lips twisted into a small, chilling smile. Tsunade shook her head slightly as if to forcibly rid herself of the spectres of the past, drew a deep breath and began.  
  
"Miyako and I were both elated by our team assignments after graduation. In my case, though Jiraiya wasn't particularly remarkable at the time, Orochimaru's genius was already evident. I saw it as a perfect opportunity to improve my own skills. Miyako was also teamed up with a highly skilled ninja, one Hyuuga Heizo. However, her happiness had a different motivation from mine."  
  
"Hyuuga?" asked Kakashi sharply.  
  
Tsunade nodded. "From the one and the same 'noble family' of Konoha. A branch family member. He and Orochimaru were heads above everyone else. Why?"  
  
Kakashi shrugged noncommittally, his face expressionless. Making a mental note to question him about it later, Tsunade continued.  
  
"As you may have gathered, Miyako was head over heels in love with this boy. It was obvious in her behaviour both on and off the battlefield. He was the only thing she ever talked about, the only thing that mattered to her. Her sentiments were somewhat of a hindrance to the team dynamic, and it was even noted as such by their jounin sensei."  
  
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, but kept silent. Tsunade gestured towards a tattered looking file lying on her desk. "Interestingly enough, said sensei appears to have been a relative of one of your students."  
  
Kakashi leaned over and picked up the file. Sitting back down, he opened it and quickly skimmed through its contents. "...Her sensei was an Uchiha."  
  
"That he was," said Tsunade dryly. Then she added, "You can keep that if you like."  
  
"Thank you," said Kakashi, closing the file and carefully resting it on his knees. "So I take it that her affections were unrequited?"  
  
"Completely so," she answered. "The few times I saw them together, Heizo's behaviour towards her seemed downright hostile. In retrospect, I think he was trying to get her to stop liking him. If he was, it didn't work. She was hurt by his cold demeanor, but her feelings for him persisted."  
  
Tsunade brushed a stray hair from her forehead and leaned backwards in her chair, sighing. "She used to come to me, ostensibly for advice but really for sympathy. As the years passed, my team grew in strength and our presence was required outside of Konoha with increasing frequency and for longer periods of time. Heizo became a jounin, her other teammate quit and Miyako accepted a teaching post at the academy. In my absence, her former sensei became her closest friend and confidante. She trusted him implicitly, but even he was surprised by Miyako's reaction to Heizo's engagement."  
  
Here Tsunade paused briefly, as if considering how best to word the following sentences. After a deep breath, she resumed speaking.  
  
"We thought Miyako was happy with her life, and moreover, that she was over him. It had, after all, been almost a decade. Turns out we were all wrong. Miyako was crushed, and confronted him, demanding to know why he never even gave her a chance. His answer was straightforward, like her question."   
  
Tsunade's voice acquired a softer, sadder tone.  
  
"He told her outright that he had to marry someone strong, because weak blood, like hers, would dilute the precious Hyuuga bloodline that he was born to protect. His fiancee, while not of advanced blood, was a well-respected jounin with an impressive ninja lineage.  
  
"I was away when this all happened and learned of these events only upon my return, from none other than Heizo himself. He wanted to know if Miyako was alright, as he'd heard some disturbing rumors. I went to see her immediately, but even I couldn't form a definite answer. She...was different."  
  
Kakashi tensed. "Different how?" he asked.  
  
"She quit her job, moved out on her own, and isolated herself from everyone except for myself and her sensei. Rumors swiftly began circulating about town that she had lost her mind. Her former sensei was outraged by the villagers' gossip, and openly defended her. Then one day, he came to see me. He told me sadly that it was possible that their speculations may not have been without merit, and that maybe we should try to get her some help. Miyako had come to him, he said, claiming that she could manipulate reality with her mind. Mind-jutsus, as she called them, that gave her powers beyond comprehension by anyone of lesser intelligence. When he expressed some skepticism, she became hysterical and accused him of being 'just like the others'. She ran out him, crying."  
  
"Then one night..."  
  
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Tsunade walked home along the dimly lit village streets, glancing casually at the occasional stand that was still open. It was almost midnight, and most of the villagers were early sleepers. As she walked past a ramen stand, she thought she saw a familiar face. Miyako.  
  
Miyako's sensei had come to her a month ago, concerned about Miyako's mental health. Concerned, Tsunade had gone to visit her the next day, but her attempts at getting through to Miyako were in vain. Miyako subsequently drew further into solitude and rarely ventured out of her residence. Hence Tsunade's surprise at seeing her in town, that late at night.  
  
Tsunade entered the stand, which was deserted save for Miyako, sitting alone at a table. Her face a blank slate, she looked up slowly and nodded politely to Tsunade. Her complexion was devoid of color, and her eyes bloodshot as if from lack of sleep. A pang of worry struck Tsunade. "Miyako-chan!" she said, attempting to sound cheerful. "I'm so glad I found you. How have you been?"  
  
When Miyako didn't respond, Tsunade sat down next to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Are you okay, Miyako-chan?"  
  
Miyako shrank away from the contact, but answered quietly, "I'm great, Tsunade-chan. Never been better."  
  
Tsunade forced a smile onto her face. "So what have you been up to?" she asked.  
  
"I'm sure you've already heard," said Miyako caustically.  
  
Tsunade was taken aback by her open hostility. "Miyako-chan..."  
  
Miyako stood up to leave, but Tsunade held her back. "I have something to do, Tsunade-chan," she said. Giving her a small smile, she added, "I'll see you later."  
  
Tsunade nodded reluctantly, but said "Can't it wait? Why don't we go somewhere to talk for a while? Like old times?"  
  
"I'd love to, but I can't. I must go," said Miyako, her voice suddenly sad. Breaking free of Tsunade's grip, she walked to the door and paused briefly. Without looking back, she added as if to herself, "It will happen soon."  
  
Tsunade watched her leave. Miyako's lifeless body was found the next morning, sprawled out on the forest floor. The cause of death was never determined.  
  
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"...it was the last time anyone saw her alive," finished Tsunade.   
  
Hearing Miyako's last words to Tsunade had sent shivers down Kakashi's spine, rendering him temporarily incapable of speech. An oppressive silence blanketed the room. Finally he stood up, holding the file in one hand, and said formally, "Thank you, Hokage-sama. Please give me some time to think things through."  
  
Tsunade nodded tiredly. "Take whatever time you need, but I would like you to report back to me the minute you think of anything."  
  
Kakashi bowed, and took his leave.  
  
He swiftly made his way back to the clearing to find Gai and the others pretty much as he had left them, the only noticeable difference being that Naruto was now tied to a tree. Gai immediately went to Kakashi, saying with quiet urgency, "We need to talk."  
  
Kakashi was on the verge of making a wisecrack when he realized that Gai was completely serious. "What is it, Gai?" he asked.  
  
Gai shot a look at Sasuke, who was sitting on the ground throwing pebbles at a tree. His gaze moved to Neji, who was calmly counting birds in the sky with his Byakugan. Kakashi followed his line of sight, confused. "What?" he asked again.  
  
"Our students appear to have a problem with each other," said Gai. "At one point, they were on the verge of physically tearing each other apart."  
  
Kakashi's visible eye widened in surprise. "I wasn't aware that they knew each other well enough for hostilities to develop," he said skeptically.  
  
Gai shrugged. "I don't know what's going on. But something's definitely not right."  
  
Kakashi sighed. "You don't know the half of it, Gai."  
  
Before he could say any more, two ANBU entered the clearing and approached Kakashi. Taking him aside, one of them said in low tones, "Kakashi, we need to talk to you. We can't find her."   
  
"We looked everywhere. The others are still looking," added the other.  
  
Kakashi crossed his arms. "What?" he said incredulously. "Is this some kind of joke?"  
  
Having followed them, Gai looked from the ANBU to Kakashi and back again. "Hnn? You still haven't found that Sakura girl?"  
  
Gritting his teeth, Kakashi quickly came to a decision. He took several steps away from them and gestured casually to the genin. "Hey. You guys are dismissed for the day. Go home." As an afterthought, he added, "Oh, and Sasuke - untie Naruto."  
  
They looked at him in surprise, but there were no objections. Scowling, Sasuke untied Naruto while Neji and Tenten left, and soon the four adults were left alone in the clearing.  
  
"Let's find a more secure place to discuss this matter," said Kakashi, forcing his voice to be calm.  
  
Kakashi didn't like it, but he was prepared for it even before they told him. The search for Haruno Sakura was now officially under ANBU jurisdiction.  
  
Though it was but early evening when he got home, Sasuke soon found himself lying in bed staring listlessly at his ceiling. He was tired, but couldn't fall asleep. Insomnia was neither uncommon nor particularly unpleasant, as he greatly preferred reality to his often unsettling dreams. Allowing his thoughts drift aimlessly, it was sometime in the early morning, long after he'd given up all hope of falling asleep, when a memory from the previous day jumped out at him.  
  
"Do you dare doubt it?" Neji's voice hissed in his mind.  
  
"What if I do?" he heard himself say, his voice arrogant and self-assured.  
  
...What?  
  
Sasuke sat up and let his legs hang off the side of his bed. Hands resting on his knees, he leaned forward, furrowing his brow in concentration as he forced his brain to focus on the events of the previous day.  
  
"Byakugan!"  
  
"Sharingan!"  
  
...What the hell? He fought Neji?  
  
He slowly raised his hand to his neck, where Orochimaru's curse seal still remained. Could it...no, it couldn't be - that was completely different, a desire that seized him forcibly and left him breathless with power and anticipation. When it receded, he was completely drained. Then what, if anything, had come over him? Straining, he thought he recalled something like a delicate suggestion, poking at his mind, subtly provoking him...  
  
But he had been in control of himself that day. He was sure of that. He had chosen to act the way he did. He just didn't know why.  
  
Sasuke stared at his wall, troubled. He remained in that position for the rest of the night.   
  
He didn't know it, but Sasuke had not been alone in his confusion. When Neji walked Tenten home that evening, his face was rigidly expressionless the entire way. Tenten desparately wanted to ask him for an explanation, but Neji remained resolutely uncommunicative. She resigned herself to asking Gai-sensei in the morning. Maybe he knew something she didn't. When they reached her front gate, Neji promptly turned to leave.   
  
"See you tomorrow, Neji," said Tenten, still hoping to create an opening for conversation.  
  
Neji, who was already walking away, turned his head slightly and stopped for a moment. "We'll see," he said, turning away again.  
  
Tenten impulsively grabbed a hold of his arm, preventing him from leaving. Neji's silver eyes stared at her blankly. "What?" he said, eyes narrowing.  
  
She'd had enough. "Neji. Why don't you start by explaining what the hell happened between you and Sasuke today?"   
  
His gaze fixed on hers, he said simply, "I find him annoying."  
  
Tenten let out an exasperated sigh, one she usually reserved for Lee. "Yeah, okay. But you were at each others throats. WHY?" she said, emphasizing the last word.  
  
She had been bracing herself for a yelling match. Instead, Neji pursed his lips and after a moment's pause, answered quietly, "I don't know."  
  
Surprised, her hold on him loosened, and he strode off into the night. Before long, he was out of her range of vision.  
  
Tenten was left to ponder his words, standing alone in front of her house.  
  
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Tsunade never remembered her dreams. It had been so since childhood, and for more than half a decade there had never been an exception. Until this night. This night, Tsunade dreamt, and remembered.  
  
A beautiful autumn afternoon in Konoha.  
  
"Tsunade-chan!"   
  
Tsunade turned at the sound of her name. Looking up the forest path, she could make out the distant figure of Miyako running towards her at full speed. She stayed where she was and waited for Miyako to catch up to her.   
  
When Miyako finally reached Tsunade, she was panting heavily. Tsunade patiently waited for her to catch her breath before asking, "Miyako-chan? I noticed that you weren't in class today. Is everything alright?"  
  
Miyako nodded, smiling. "My parents needed me. Did I miss the team assignments?"  
  
When Tsunade nodded in response, Miyako looked at the ground, and after a moment's pause asked quietly, "Tsunade-chan...who are you teamed up with?"  
  
Initially taken aback by her abrupt change in demeanor, a slow smile spread across her face as a gradual realization dawned upon her. Miyako was really so transparent sometimes. She answered matter-of-factly, "Don't worry, Miyako. I'm with Jiraiya and Orochimaru. That leaves you in a good position."  
  
Miyako looked up, startled. "What do you mean, don't worry? In a good position for what?" she said defensively.   
  
Tsunade laughed, and put her arm around Miyako. "You like him, don't you?" she said in confidential tones. Miyako drew back instinctively, but Tsunade leaned in closer, grinning widely. "Admit it! You like know-it-all Mr. Pale Eyes, don't you! Just admit it!"  
  
Miyako finally broke free and turned a deep crimson. She did not venture a denial. Tsunade smiled triumphantly as she added, "You know, the way the rankings are, you're probably on his team."  
  
"Really?" said Miyako, her eyes shining.  
  
Tsunade nodded sincerely, trying her best not to laugh again. Miyako's feelings were easily hurt, and she didn't want to offend the girl. "So how long have you liked Heizo, huh?"  
  
"I..."  
  
"Don't try to deny it!"  
  
"...A while." capitulated Miyako, blushing again.  
  
Tsunade turned her eyes upward as if in deep thought, before saying solemnly, "Well, I guess he's not that bad looking."  
  
Miyako looked surprised. "So you approve?"  
  
Shrugging, Tsunade resumed walking. Miyako trotted alongside her. "I don't know about approving exactly...he's a bit arrogant, but I guess it's to be expected, him being Hyuuga and all. At least you don't like Orochimaru."  
  
Miyako shuddered. "Orochimaru...he scares me. Don't even joke about that..."  
  
Tsunade shrugged. "Well, after all Orochimaru IS a genius ninja. He could even beat your precious Heizo-kun. It's good for me to have him on my team. It'll push me to excel more."  
  
"Not my Heizo-kun, Tsunade-chan."  
  
Tsunade shot a questioning look at Miyako, but said nothing.  
  
"I wish I was strong like you, Tsunade-chan..." said Miyako, barely audible.  
  
Tsunade was taken aback by Miyako's comment. "What do you mean, Miyako-chan?" she said. "You're ranked only one below me."  
  
Miyako shrugged, and they walked in silence for a while until she spoke again. "I'm only ranked that high because I scored perfect on the written portion of the exam."  
  
"You scored perfect?!" exclaimed Tsunade. "That's amazing, I've never heard of anyone who doing that before..." She trailed off when she noticed the look on Miyako's face. "What's wrong, Miyako-chan?"  
  
"Heizo-kun wasn't nearly as impressed as you are."  
  
Tsunade scoffed, "That boy wouldn't be impressed by anything. He needs to get over himself."  
  
Miyako stopped dead in her tracks, and Tsunade halted with her. "Miyako-chan?" Tsunade said worriedly.   
  
"You impressed him." Her tone was almost accusing.  
  
Tsunade stared blankly at Miyako for a moment before saying sharply, "What?!"  
  
Her gaze fixed on her feet, Miyako answered quietly "I overheard him talking to a friend. He said that you were the only female ninja in our class worthy of respect."  
  
"Hey."   
  
When Miyako didn't answer, Tsunade grasped Miyako gently by the shoulders and said simply, "Look. If he's as perfect as you make him out to be, he should recognize that intelligence is no trifling matter. The written final was not simple one, and you got a perfect score. Did he?"  
  
Miyako sniffled, but shook her head.  
  
Tsunade continued, "See? So stop underestimating yourself. Don't let him control your feelings, and don't your intellect go to waste just because of something silly you overheard. Okay, Miyako-chan?"  
  
Miyako nodded silently. "Thank you..." she whispered, raising her eyes to meet Tsunade's earnest gaze.  
  
Clear green eyes, still wet with tears, stared imploringly at Tsunade. A silent cry for help.  
  
Miyako's face. Haruno Sakura's eyes.  
  
Tsunade woke. "Miyako-chan?" she whispered to an empty room.  
  
There was no answer.  
  
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A/N v.2.0: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! The biggest distraction right now is my ever growing Neji obsession...so three guesses who my next fic will be about. =) But anyways! Focus! (Agh, he's hot.) The next chapter will probably be up by the weekend since tomorrow is my last exam...wOOt, thermodynamics. 


	6. Chapter 6: The Awakening

A/N: Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays/Seasons' Greetings/and everything else!  
  
A/N v.2.0: If you want a hint as to why Sasuke and Neji are acting they way they are, there's a subtle clue in Miyako's dialogue with Sakura. As always, thanks for the reviews, and thanks for reading!  
  
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Chapter 6: The Awakening  
  
The setting sun cast its dying rays over the lush green landscape of Konoha, lines of red and amber that streamed through the treetops to rest upon the ground as bright flecks of dancing light. The inside of the small cave hiding Sakura was only dimly illuminated by the delicate interplay of light and shadow that moved fluidly along the walls. Sakura, however, had eyes only for the image in front of her. Her throat was constricted by fear, supressing a bloodcurdling scream as she stared transfixed at the back of the cave.  
  
Sakura saw the figure of a young woman, which she judged to be at most ten years older than herself. The image was neither opaque nor steady, allowing her to just barely make out the contours of the back wall through its rippling figure. With ever heightening discomfort, Sakura found that it was looking straight through her with eyes that were a void. Not silver, like Hinata's. Not merely colorless. A cold, intangible but definite emptiness lay behind them. They were completely barren. And, as Sakura realized in a sudden jolt of understanding - lifeless.  
  
"Oh god..." whispered Sakura, her breath coming in desparate ragged gasps. She collapsed weakly against the nearest wall.  
  
(Hi Sakura)  
  
Sakura found herself shivering uncontrollably. Tearing her gaze away from the spectre, she managed to force out weakly, "Who...are you...?"  
  
(Sorry if I scared you)  
  
Shaking her head via a series of jerky movements, Sakura lied unconvincingly, "No, you don't scare me."  
  
The image stood, wavering slightly as it did so. Sensing its movements, Sakura tried to slow her rapidly beating heart, braced herself and looked up once again.   
  
(Don't worry)  
  
Perhaps sensing Sakura's hesitation, it knelt down beside her and extended a translucent hand. Sakura stared it, uncomprehending.   
  
"Aren't...you a ghost?" asked Sakura slowly, her breathing gradually returning to normal.  
  
It shrugged.  
  
(I guess)  
  
"So you're not real. You're speaking to me in my mind. Doesn't that mean that I can't touch you?"  
  
To Sakura's surprise, it smiled slightly.  
  
(You can make me real)  
  
Sakura's curiousity got the better of her fear. She sat up slightly. "What? How?"  
  
(In your mind, see me and know that I am real. Then focus your chakra where you can see me)  
  
It watched intently as Sakura slowly processed the words. Her mind was still reeling slightly from the shock of all she had seen and heard, but after a moment's consideration Sakura decided that the spectre's instructions were not any more strange than its very presence to begin with. As such, she closed her eyes and complied.  
  
"Settle down," she mentally berated herself. "Breathe. Calm yourself. Focus."  
  
As Ino had discovered during the Chuunin preliminary matches, Sakura's mental discipline was extremely strong. Soon her racing thoughts had been quieted down and forced into a dull murmur in the back of her mind.   
  
"Imagine her to be real," thought Sakura. This also was not a difficult feat for her, the possessor of an active imagination. More often than not the true challenge was keeping it in check. Thus, it was not long before she had formed a clear picture with which she was satisfied.  
  
Holding the picture in her mind's eye, she called upon her chakra. It responded quickly, and soon she could feel it flowing easily throughout her body, awaiting her direction. Here she hesitated, contemplating as to how to proceed. Rather than lose the progress that she had made, she elected to stay motionless, eyes shut firmly, concentrating every ounce of her energy into the task at hand. An undetermined amount of time passed. Sakura lost herself in the depths of her mind, deeper even than in training meditation, forcing herself deeper still...  
  
Suddenly, something at the subconscious level clicked. Chakra poured into and flooded the circulation lines in her head in an exhilarating rush, pooling at the rarely used tenketsu attached to the brain. A thrilling surge of an unidentifiable feeling passed through her, but she did not allow herself to be distracted.   
  
"Focus..." she told herself. Her new mantra.  
  
Behind closed eyes, Sakura saw swirling, throbbing eddies of every imaginable shade of shockingly sharp color. The interweaving patterns, seeming chaotic, were teasingly suggestive of an underlying governing dynamic. The overall image that she beheld was breathtakingly beautiful. Almost loathe to disturb the natural progression, she exhaled slowly, calming them down into a neat pattern, coaxing the stubborn lines into a form of her bidding...  
  
A flash of light shocked Sakura into opening her eyes. Unsure of whether the flash had been in her mind or actually before her, she clawed at the side of the cave to pull herself upright. A moment of disorientation set upon her. Then just as her vision cleared, she felt a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Just as I expected. Well done, Sakura-chan," came a voice from beside her.  
  
Sakura turned her head cautiously. A black haired girl smiled cheerfully at her, her hand still extended. Sakura blinked.  
  
"Hi," the girl said, tilting her head to one side, raising a pair of brown eyes to meet Sakura's emerald gaze. "I'm Miyako."  
  
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First, Kakashi made sure no one was watching. Then, in one swift motion he spun around to land a well-placed, chakra aided kick on an unsuspecting tree in his backyard. Landing lightly, he looked up just in time to watch it begin to slowly topple over. It was a carefully calculated moment of release that was intended to make him feel better. It didn't work.  
  
Irked by what the two ANBU from the clearing had told him, Kakashi had immediately gone out in search of Anko. Barely concealing his hostility under a veneer of cold civility, an hour of trading thinly veiled threats had yielded nothing but a suggestion from Anko as to where he should go. He had briefly considered killing her on the spot, but though the option was an attractive one he decided that it was probably not in Sakura's best interests. Therefore he had gone straight home instead.  
  
He sat down on the fallen tree and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. The search for Sakura was now under ANBU jurisdiction. Even Gai had agreed with the ANBU that they were best qualified to handle the unusual situation. Kakashi, however, knew that he was infinitely better qualified to judge just how unusual this situation truly was. He would bet on his life that they knew nothing of the story that Tsunade had told him, nor of the voice that Sakura heard. Whatever reasons they were given, their orders would only extend as far as locating and placing a rogue genin in custody. His gaze swept across the backyard to fall upon the file that Tsunade had given him, which he had carefully placed on the ground upon his return. Getting up slowly, he picked up the file and went inside. Even if he couldn't officially take part in the search, he could at least help Sakura by figuring out what was going on. Still completely dressed, he fell onto his couch with a heavy sigh and prepared himself for a long night of reading.  
  
The following morning, Sasuke and Naruto woke to find a note from Kakashi instructing them to meet at his house. "Even I can't be late if you're meeting me at my own place," the note had read. Sasuke had snorted before crumpling it up and throwing it away. Naruto had found it hilarious. Both were suspicious.  
  
Sasuke and Naruto had accidentally met about ten minutes away from their destination, and grudgingly walked the rest of the way together. After a few minutes of walking in complete silence, Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. Naruto had been looking at him strangely out of the corner of his eye the entire time they had been together. He turned abruptly to face his teammate.  
  
"WHAT?" barked Sasuke impatiently.  
  
Naruto didn't bother denying that he had been staring at him. Instead, he scratched his head and said sheepishly, "Ne, Sasuke...what's this I hear about you and Neji?"  
  
Ironclad proof that word travels fast in a small community. Sasuke merely grunted in response and kept walking.  
  
Naruto jumped in front of him and poked him in the shoulder. Sasuke looked up, irritated. "What do you want," he asked, in none too friendly a tone.  
  
Crossing his arms and glaring, Naruto demanded, "I want to know why you two were fighting! I accidentally overheard Gai-sensei talking to these ANBU people, and they were really serious!"  
  
Sasuke smirked. "Accidently, eh."  
  
"You're missing the point!" said Naruto hotly. "They think there might be something wrong with Sakura-chan! And they think it might have something to do with you two because you were both acting so weird! And they still haven't found her! And ANBU are out looking for her! ANBU! Why?!"  
  
When Naruto stopped for breath, Sasuke asked cooly, "Are you done?"  
  
Naruto nodded reluctantly. Sasuke sighed. "Firstly, whatever is between Neji and I is none of your business. Stay out of it." He couldn't bring himself to admit to Naruto that even he didn't entirely know what had motivated that day's events.  
  
Holding his arms rigidly at his side, Naruto's hands clenched tightly into fists upon hearing Sasuke's cold words. Naruto gritted his teeth as Sasuke finished, "And about Sakura...if you care so much, ask Kakashi when we get there."  
  
At this, he resumed walking at a brisker pace, leaving Naruto to catch up.  
  
Upon hearing the peal of the doorbell Kakashi opened the door to let his students in, idly noting as he did so that they did not appear to be on speaking terms. He shrugged to himself. Nothing special. Even after all they'd been through together, it still happened fairly often.  
  
Naruto, the first to enter, bounded in through the door and looked around curiously. "Hey, hey," he said excitedly. "You've got a pretty nice place here, Kakashi-sensei."  
  
Sasuke stood on the welcome mat just inside the door, looking to one side disinterestedly. "Kakashi-sensei. Why are we here?" he asked quietly.  
  
Indicating a table in the living room, Kakashi merely said, "Sit."   
  
When they were settled around the table, Kakashi gave them a brief overview of the recent happenings. He chose to omit only Tsunade's story, which he still felt was of questionable relevance. Even Naruto stayed quiet as he spoke, his widening blue eyes the only indication of his surprise. When Kakashi finally finished, a moment of silence passed before Sasuke leaned back in his chair and said calmly, "So what are we supposed to do about it?"  
  
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Sasuke, you bastard! Of course we have to go rescue her!"  
  
"Baka!" answered Sasuke, dismissing Naruto with a icy glare. "We need to find her before we can rescue her, and even the ANBU can't find her." Turning his attention to Kakashi, who had been observing their exchange with some interest, he said, "What is it that you want us to do?"  
  
"Nothing," came the matter-of-fact answer.  
  
Naruto jumped up, seething. "What?!" he exclaimed. Pointing an accusing finger at Kakashi, he yelled, "You're just going to leave her out there? That's..."  
  
"Enough!" said Kakashi in an authoritative voice, also rising from the table. Naruto's mouth clamped shut. Kakashi walked to where Naruto was standing, and patted him on the head. "Sakura is under my command. She is my teammate, my student, and my soldier. Do you think that I'd stand idly by and let harm come to her? I will see to it myself that Sakura is found and her situation resolved. Understand?"  
  
Naruto nodded, slightly ashamed at his outburst. Kakashi's voice grew a bit softer as he continued, "But I can't do that if I'm worrying about you two and dealing with the consequences of your interference."  
  
Sasuke pushed his chair away from the table and stood slowly. "So what you're telling us is to keep out of your way."  
  
Kakashi turned to face his protege. "Not exactly," he said. "It's true that I want the two of you to stay away from the actual search, but I also need you to do some background research for me."  
  
Naruto's ears perked up. "Hnn?" he said. "What kind of background research?"  
  
Kakashi's mask hid the small smile provoked by Naruto's sudden change of expression. He explained, "I don't know Sakura that well, but you two have been her classmates for a while. So if you could compile a profile of her and give it to me tomorrow, that'd be great."  
  
"What exactly are you looking for? Her diary?" deadpanned Sasuke.  
  
Ignoring the sarcasm dripping from Sasuke's voice, Kakashi said lightly, "Pretty much anything and everything."  
  
Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Anything to help Sakura-chan! I'll come up with the best report ever!"  
  
"Naruto..." Kakashi said, a slight wariness creeping into his voice. "You have to work with Sasuke on this, okay?"  
  
Grumbling, Naruto indicated assented with a curt nod. Sasuke glared daggers but said nothing. Hearing no verbal complaints, Kakashi ushered them out of the house with more cheerfulness than he felt. Once he had shut the door behind them he headed straight for Tsunade's file, his facade of optimism promptly withdrawn. He flipped through it listlessly, having gone through it multiple times the previous night to no avail. Kakashi shut his eyes and let his thoughts take over.   
  
The parallels between Miyako and Sakura were striking, to be sure. Kakashi sighed. But Miyako loved a Hyuuga, whereas Sakura loved an Uchiha. Miyako's sensei was an Uchiha, but even though he was known as Sharingan Kakashi, he was not of the clan. The only Hyuuga with a part in this story, Hyuuga Neji, had no prior connection to either Sakura or Sasuke, or at least as far as he or Gai knew. Where did everyone fit in? What was the connection? Maybe Sasuke and Naruto would turn up something that would shed more light on the affair. Maybe. Hopefully.  
  
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"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," said Sasuke.  
  
Naruto grinned mischievously. "I'm great at breaking in," he said proudly, as he searched through Sakura's room.  
  
Eyeing the room door suspiciously, Sasuke muttered sullenly, "I'll keep that in mind." Then, reaching out just in time to catch a falling picture frame, "Hey! Be careful!"  
  
Naruto didn't bother to look up, busily at work. "Yeah, yeah."  
  
After what felt like an eternity, during which Sasuke was certain that they would be caught, Naruto finally found what he was looking for.   
  
"Sakura-chan's diary!" cheered Naruto.  
  
"Be quiet!" hissed Sasuke, shoving Naruto towards the window. "Let's go, let's go!"  
  
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Night fell over Konoha.  
  
Inside the sheltered atmosphere of the cave, Sakura stared wide-eyed at Miyako, who was busily inspecting herself.   
  
"Hn, not bad," Miyako mused. "My skin was a bit darker though."  
  
Sakura gulped. The exhilaration had faded, allowing apprehension to briefly regain control of her.  
  
"Hey now, don't look so down," Miyako said comfortingly. "You've managed to do something that only one other person has ever been capable of."  
  
Hesitantly, Sakura asked, "And that other person I'm assuming is you?"   
  
Miyako's expression darkened visibly. "Was me," she corrected quietly.  
  
"Sorry," said Sakura. Once again, curiousity loosened her tongue. "So who are you? Were you from this village?"  
  
Laughing at Sakura's outburst, Miyako once again reached a hand out to her. "Why don't you let me show you?"  
  
Something about Miyako led Sakura to believe that she could be trusted. Before she could stop herself their hands were touching palm to palm. Without being told, Sakura closed her eyes and cleared her thoughts. Then, in a flash, Miyako's memories and emotions became one with hers, as clear as if she herself had been there. When her eyes reopened, Miyako was smiling sadly at her. "So you see."   
  
"I think so," answered Sakura slowly. "But...why me?"  
  
"Not everyone is capable of what we are, Sakura-chan," explained Miyako. "It requires extreme intellectual potential, coupled with surpreme chakra control. Even those with only one or the other may be able to sense me, but probably not see me, let alone give me physical form."  
  
Sakura said half-jokingly, "Well, that makes the first thing I can do that others can't."  
  
Miyako turned an earnest gaze to Sakura. "But, Sakura-chan, you have to see! People with rare intellects like ours are not given nearly enough credit in this world."  
  
Slightly taken aback by Miyako's passion, Sakura merely listened as Miyako continued.  
  
"There exists a double standard in people's perceptions of strength. Strength based in intellect has always been seen as a mere supplement to one's physical abilities. The minute anyone claims to have mastered their mind, they are met with skepticism - whereas those same people would have no problem believing reports of special physical abilities, no matter how ridiculous those reports may be."  
  
Sakura nodded. "I see what you mean."  
  
Miyako stood up. Sakura followed suit, straightening and dusting off her dress as she did so. "Sakura," said Miyako, her tone serious.  
  
Sakura stopped abruptly and looked up, her body suddenly tense.  
  
"I can clear the path for you. I can give you the knowledge that I attained. And I can show you how to use it to the fullest. But you have to trust me."  
  
"Miyako...chan," said Sakura hesistantly. "I hope you don't take offense to this, but I just want to know. Why are you doing this? I mean, I understand that we are very similar, but..."  
  
Miyako gave a little laugh in response. "I would expect nothing less from you, Sakura," she said good-naturedly. Miyako heaved a sigh and looked at the ground before giving her answer. "You saw my life, Sakura-chan. I made a lot of stupid mistakes. You may not see them as such, but that's because you're on the verge of making those same mistakes yourself."  
  
Sakura's eyes widened in surprise.   
  
Miyako continued, "I was already in a downward emotional spiral when I discovered that I could perform mind-jutsus. No one believed me and I was too depressed to be cautious about my investigations, so by the time I perfected them my mind had sustained a lot of irreparable damage. I decided to find a way to preserve what I had learned before my degeneration came to a head. I found a way to bind my consciousness to this plane, but it meant effectively committing suicide."   
  
Placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder, Miyako finished softly, "I waited for thirty years for right person, someone who could see me, someone like I was. You ask why? It's because my life had no meaning, but by giving that someone the opportunities I never had, in death my life may be redeemed."  
  
Tears welled up in Sakura's emerald eyes, but when they met Miyako's gaze they were burning with determination. "Miyako-chan," she whispered, holding her hand out. "Let me help you find peace." 


	7. Chapter 7: The Path

Disclaimer: By induction, disclaimer holds.  
  
A/N: To answer your questions...I guess this story roughly follows the Naruto timeline. Let's go with the assumption that the genin sent to bring Sasuke back succeeded in their mission, and that Itachi is still very much alive, but things have more or less settled down in Konoha for the time being. A sort of unsteady peace, if you will.  
  
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Chapter 7: The Path  
  
A clear night sky forecasted a beautiful summer day. The crisp air and peaceful silence was a textbook example of serenity - or at least, that was the case for most of Konoha. An unlucky section of the sleeping town had the effect somewhat ruined by the sound of Naruto's voice.  
  
At a time when the sun had not even thought of beginning to rise, Naruto sprinted up the walkway to Kakashi's house, all the while yelling at the top of his lungs.  
  
"Kakashi-sensei!!!" he called somewhat breathlessly. Having not received a discernible response upon reaching the entrance he promptly resorted to banging heavily on the door.  
  
Kakashi opened the door and stumbled out onto the front porch, sloppily dressed and his droopy eye more sleepy than usual. "Aaaa..." he mumbled, staring through Naruto.  
  
"Good morning Kakashi-sensei!!" said Naruto cheerfully, shoving a small book towards his sensei's visibly fatigued form. "Here's Sakura-chan's diary! Sasuke wanted to go home so I brought it to you myself!"  
  
Summoning up his last remaining bit of energy, Kakashi straightened himself up and smiled through the mask. "I didn't think you were serious when you brought it up yesterday," he began. Noticing the crestfallen look on Naruto's face, he hastily added, "...but this will give me all the information I need. Good work."  
  
Once again wearing his characteristic ear-to-ear grin, Naruto exclaimed, "You can always leave it to me to get the job done!" He departed, but not before giving Kakashi an enthusiastic thumbs up.  
  
Kakashi watched the happy blond walk away, a bustling bundle of yellow and orange. "That boy's beginning to sound like Gai," he muttered to himself. "Going to have to do something about that."   
  
He was about to go back inside when he thought he saw a shadow move across his lawn. Warily he uncovered the Sharingan, slowly and carefully surveying the area around him. But just like that night when he was outside Sakura's house, Kakashi could see nothing amiss. His eyes narrowed, but mentally he shrugged it off. Maybe the sleepness nights were finally getting to him.  
  
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After leaving an obnoxiously jovial Naruto to deliver to Kakashi the fruits of their reconnaissance mission, Sasuke trudged home with his hands in his pockets, his mind troubled. It had been two days and he still he hadn't managed to block the incident with Neji from his thoughts. As he had many times already, he once again ran through the events that he could remember. Since when had he started to see Neji as his rival? They had barely ever talked, save for the time Neji had asked his name before the Chuunin exams and Sasuke had arrogantly refused to give it. There was no rivalry between Uchiha and Hyuuga that he was aware of. There was no bad blood between them. There was no...  
  
A pair of liquid brown eyes passed briefly through his mind. Sasuke blinked, stopping dead in his tracks. Tenten?  
  
After taking a brief moment to mull over this new idea, he resumed his walk home. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that Tenten had somehow been central to their conflict. But why? He barely knew the girl.   
  
While his thoughts were occupied with this new piece of information, Sasuke unconsciously changed course and headed towards the property of the Hyuuga clan. When he finally returned his attention to his whereabouts, he was already at the gates. He shrugged. What the hell. He might as well talk to Neji about the situation. Chances were that the Hyuuga was just as confused as he was. And maybe together they could talk it out and uncover just what was going on.  
  
That's all he was going to do. That's all he was there for.  
  
Just to talk.  
  
Neji stared out his window, steadfastly ignoring the tempting call of sleep. He would not, could not sucuumb until he settled the question that had nagged him incessantly ever since the altercation with Sasuke. After session after session of reflection and meditation, he had arrived at the conclusion that he was a pawn in someone else's game. The sole question that remained to be answered was the identity of the person pulling the strings. He considered for a moment. Well, perhaps not the sole question. He wouldn't mind knowing how. Or, for that reason, why.  
  
The moon shone through the window to gently illuminate his pale complexion. The silver rays emanating from the sky were eerily similar in shade to his eyes, reflected in the glass of the windowpane. The entire Hyuuga family slept and all was quiet. For a fleeting moment, he felt strangely relaxed.   
  
That feeling disappeared instantly when he sensed the presence of another somewhere outside. He closed his eyes briefly, reopening them to reveal the activated Byakugan. He carefully and efficiently scanned the extensive Hyuuga lands until he found what he was looking for.  
  
Uchiha Sasuke.  
  
A sharp hiss escaped from Neji's lips as a nagging voice at the back of his mind prodded him. What was HE doing here? Surely he hadn't chosen now, of all times, to settle their dispute?   
  
Neji shook his head rapidly, the effect being that of an involuntary shiver. He didn't know exactly what was happening to him, but he was going to put an end to it now. Sasuke bothered him, but like him the Uchiha was a genius ninja. Surely between the two of them, they could figure things out. Sasuke had probably arrived at the same conclusion that he had, and had promptly come here to discuss the matter.  
  
Neji dressed quickly and quietly opened his window. He would meet Sasuke halfway. He glanced briefly at his weapon pouches on the table, and after a split second of consideration he grabbed them and jumped out onto the tree outside his room. Surely he wouldn't need them...but he'd take them just in case.  
  
Just for protection.  
  
After all, that's all he was going to do. That's all he was meeting Sasuke for.   
  
Just to talk.  
  
"Uchiha."  
  
"Hyuuga."  
  
The two boys met on the path connecting the cluster of residences belonging to the main house to those of the branch house. A sudden breeze drifted across them, creating gentle eddies of leaves around where they stood. Their gazes locked, they stared each other for a full minute before Neji finally broke the silence.  
  
"What brings you to the Hyuuga residence at this hour, Uchiha Sasuke?" he said formally, his voice cold.  
  
Sasuke hesitated. "I..."  
  
Neji raised an eyebrow, obviously impatient for Sasuke's answer.  
  
Sasuke was suddenly overcome by a violent urge to wipe that indifferent, know-it-all look off of Neji's face. Ignoring the emotions which unchecked would have provoked him to physical action, he found his voice and answered in a similar tone, "I wanted to talk about what happened that day."  
  
"Then talk."  
  
"Not here," said Sasuke. "Somewhere where no one will overhear our conversation."  
  
Neji shrugged dismissively. "If you so wish," he said in a voice of an adult humoring a child.  
  
Red flashed before Sasuke's eyes. Quietly seething at the older boy's condescension, Sasuke forced himself to remain calm. When they reached a spot not far from where their first confrontation had taken place, Sasuke stopped. Turning to Neji, he said, "I think there may have been something influencing both our behavior when we were here the other day. I don't know what it is, but you must have felt it as well.  
  
Neji's empty eyes stared into Sasuke's. After a tense moment Neji capitulated with, "That is true."  
  
Sasuke nodded, not showing it but secretly relieved. "Do you remember what triggered the whole thing?" he asked.  
  
"As I remember it, you were conducting yourself in a manner ill-befitting a shinobi," came Neji's cool answer.  
  
Sasuke stared, uncomprehending.  
  
Once again, it was Neji that shattered the overhanging silence. "I can see many things with this Byakugan, Uchiha. Including how you were looking at my teammate. I deemed it necessary to inform you that I would tolerate no interference in such matters. From anyone."  
  
Shadows flitted across the ground as the precursors of dawn streaked the sky with dark red and orange. Neither of the boys noticed one particular, irregularly shaped shadow pass across their bodies, nor would they have though anything of it if they had.  
  
Not generally quick to anger, Sasuke surprised even himself. Suddenly livid, Sasuke snorted. "Would you, of all people, presume to tell me what I can and cannot do?" he asked scornfully.  
  
Eyes flashing a dangerous silver, Neji said coldly, "Watch carefully what you say next, Uchiha."  
  
But something inside Sasuke had snapped, and try as he might he could not restrain himself. In a rare burst of emotion, Sasuke flared, "Unlike you, Hyuuga Neji of the Bunke, I possess control of my own destiny."  
  
Neji's eyes widened briefly, then narrowed in anger. "Don't be so sure, Uchiha Sasuke," he said in a voice that bespoke of his inner fury. "Your brother, not you, is the true heir to the bloodline. Your..." Here he paused deliberately before continuing, "...skill. It does not even come close to his."  
  
Sasuke glared and opened his mouth as if to speak, but Neji was not finished.  
  
"You and I both know it. You are no comparison to the true master of the Sharingan. The only reason you are still alive is because Uchiha Itachi allowed it."  
  
An audible intake of breath from Sasuke upon hearing Neji speak his brother's name gave way to the retort, "And you are only alive because the Souke allows it."   
  
Neji snorted derisively. "And you are only alive because we brought you back from the darkness that you were too weak to face on your own," he shot back.  
  
Sasuke's voice suddenly became very quiet. "What do you mean by that."  
  
"You know exactly what I mean," Neji answered calmly.  
  
Sasuke looked up, his Sharingan blazing. Neji's face remained expressionless as Sasuke, back to his usual confidence, smirked and said simply, "Allow me to show you which one of us is truly weak."  
  
As he had done once before this night, Neji closed his eyes briefly in concentration and opened them in a sudden movement to unveil the terrifying Byakugan. "You may think you control your destiny, Uchiha," he said, still calm as he shifted easily into his fighting stance. "But that is untrue. Right now, I control both my own destiny...and yours."  
  
The sun was just rising over the horizon as Sasuke rushed at him with an angry yell. This time, there was no one there to stop them.  
  
**************************************************************   
  
For the second time that morning, someone banged impatiently on Kakashi's door. Groaning, he forced himself to wake and stand up, dropping his blanket and Sakura's diary to the floor in the process. He stared at the book on the ground for a brief moment, rubbing his eyes. He still hadn't had a chance to read it, having passed out on the couch shortly after Naruto had left. Only renewed banging from outside brought him back to the present. Quickly pulling his mask up, he opened the door to see Gai standing there. Kakashi could immediately tell that something was amiss from the absence of the bright smile from Gai's countenance.   
  
"Kakashi," said Gai. "We still can't find her. The ANBU fear the worst."  
  
Kakashi took a step backwards as if Gai had physically struck him. "What?" he hissed. "What do you mean, the worst?"  
  
Gai sighed. "They think that maybe she has been kidnapped and taken out of the village against her will."  
  
Kakashi shook his head emphatically. "That's not possible. The ANBU are approaching this completely wrong. I - "  
  
He was cut of by a wave of Gai's hand. "They told me that you'd say that. Godaime wants to see you as soon as you can be ready. She says that you have a unique perspective on this matter and she wants you to brief everyone."  
  
Kakashi nodded slowly. "Fine. I'll meet you there."  
  
"Be on time, Kakashi," warned Gai goodnaturedly as he turned to leave. He would never have admitted it, but he was worried about the wellbeing of his rival. Kakashi seemed drained somehow.  
  
"Aaa," answered Kakashi, closing the door. He was halfway up the stairs when he heard another knock on the door. Thinking that it was Gai again, he threw open the door exasperatedly. He blinked in confusion, briefly muted by his surprise.  
  
"...Sakura?"  
  
Her hair was dishevelled and dirty, her dress was torn and she was without her forehead protector, but it was very much Sakura that stood on the doorstep. Without a word, she slowly walked towards the open door. Kakashi moved aside quickly to let her pass, and closed the door behind her. He turned just in time to watch her knees give and catch her before she hit the ground.  
  
Tsunade paced the floor of her office, stopping every so often to cast a baleful glare at the clock on the wall. Gai and Anko were seated on chairs in front of her desk, neither one feeling it wise to speak. Tsunade was not normally of a patient disposition, and recent events had put her even more on edge. She was fuming at being kept waiting.   
  
Gai winced at the thought of Kakashi striding in, nonchalant excuse for his lateless on his lips. Don't be an idiot, Kakashi, Gai thought to himself. She'll kill you. For once, don't be a smart ass. Prostrate yourself before her and grovel.  
  
As if on cue, the door to the office opened and Kakashi walked in. Gai and Anko both found themselves staring at Tsunade expectantly, and sure enough, she strode towards the silver haired jounin with her hands clenched tightly into fists. BUt before she could say or do anything, Kakashi reached through the door and pulled Sakura in by the hand. Tsunade stopped dead in her tracks. Anko had jumped out of her chair, recognizing the genin from both the Chuunin exam and the picture in her file. Gai rose slowly, his eyes fixed on Kakashi's unusually subdued form. Sakura slowly raised her eyes from the ground to lock gazes with the Hokage. Tsunade forced a wane smile onto her face. "Haruno Sakura," she said warmly, only the slightest traces of hesitation in her voice. "It's good to see that you are alright. You had us very worried about you."  
  
"I'm sorry," replied Sakura quietly, bowing from the waist. Concerned, Gai noted that Kakashi was watching Sakura's every movement intently as he stood protectively behind her. He had not seen his rival this serious in a long time. Even Anko uncharacteristically kept her mouth shut.  
  
Tsunade took Sakura's arm and guided her towards the chair that Gai vacated and pulled out for her. Kakashi followed slightly behind them, concern evident in his one visible eye. Sakura gave Tsunade and Gai a grateful little smile before sitting down. Tsunade sat down at her desk while Anko and Gai moved behind Sakura to stand on either side of Kakashi.  
  
"Sakura," began Tsunade gently. "Where have you been for the last day?"  
  
When Sakura did not answer, Tsunade sighed softly and revised her question. "Did you leave Konoha?"  
  
Sakura shook her head, indicating a negative answer. Tsunade seemed relieved. "Okay...have you been with anyone in the past day?"  
  
Her eyes glazed over as if looking into the past, Sakura answered with hesitaton, "Yes."  
  
The four adults in the room seemed taken aback by her answer, Tsunade even more so than the others. "Who?" asked the Hokage, her worry now audible in her tone.  
  
"She speaks to me in my mind," said Sakura in the way of an answer.  
  
Anko raised an eyebrow, poked Gai and moved her index finger in circles around her head. She stopped abruptly when Kakashi glared threateningly at her. Tsunade motioned for the three jounin to leave her alone with Sakura. Anko and Gai readily did as they were told, but Kakashi seemed unwilling to comply. Shooting a worried look back at him, Gai turned back and signalled Kakashi to follow. After a slight delay, Kakashi too exited the room.  
  
Sakura stared expectantly at Tsunade, who waited until she was absolutely certain that they were alone before speaking. "Sakura," said Tsunade seriously. "I want you to answer me honestly. Can you promise to do that?"  
  
Emerald eyes wide open, Sakura nodded slowly. Tsunade asked gently, "Have you ever heard of Shiraishi Miyako?"  
  
Though she took care not to show it, Sakura's mind was working a mile a minute. Not only did she feel a deep connection to Miyako, but Miyako had shared with Sakura her life, her abilities, and promised to show her the path to take. In return, Sakura had promised to help Miyako achieve peace, trusting Miyako to help make her strong. She arrived at a firm decision. Though she was loathe to lie to someone she had so much respect for, her promise with Miyako took precedence.  
  
Thus Sakura shook her head in answer to the question.   
  
Tsunade nodded slightly. "You should probably go home and get some rest. We'll talk later, when you've recovered a bit. Okay?"  
  
"Yes. Thank you, Hokage-sama," answered Sakura.   
  
Sakura stood up and turned to leave when Tsunade called out, "Sakura." She turned to face the Godaime, who was now standing behind her desk. "Should you need anything...to talk, to ask questions, anything. Please let me know."  
  
A small but genuine small spread across Sakura's lips. "Thank you, Hokage-sama," she said sincerely, adding, "Have a good day."  
  
Tsunade watched the little girl leave, unable to account for the ache in her heart.  
  
While Tsunade and Sakura spoke, the three jounin stood in the waiting room. Anko, who had been keeping her comments to herself for the better part of an hour, suddenly decided that she could take it no longer. In a tone perhaps more derisive than she intended, Anko said, "Kakashi, your student is a nutcase."  
  
Kakashi, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest, elected to say nothing. Anko took his silence as encouragement to continue. "I mean, she runs off for no reason. Then she disappears without a trace. And now she hears voices? Come on! What a psycho."  
  
Gai had known Kakashi long enough to know when he was angry. It wasn't as if Gai didn't agree with what Anko was saying, to some degree, but for the sake of preserving peace he shook his head slightly. Looked directly at her, he quietly warned, "Anko..."  
  
Anko returned his gaze, oblivious. "What, Gai?" she said, sounding almost cheerful. "It's not like Kakashi doesn't agree with me. Right, Kakashi?"  
  
"Piss off, Anko," answered Kakashi calmly.  
  
Her initial surprise at his reaction quickly gave way to anger. "What the hell is your problem, Kakashi?"  
  
"You are," he said matter-of-factly. "You know nothing about Sakura, therefore you should have nothing to say about her." Pushing himself off of the wall and walking slowly towards the corridor, Kakashi added, "I'm going to go check if they're done. And Anko, you're the last person who should be calling anyone a psycho."  
  
Gai and Anko stared as Kakashi walked away, speechless.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Kakashi walked with Sakura in silence towards the usual meeting area, expecting to see Naruto and Sasuke already waiting. Sure enough, as soon as they were in visible range Naruto ran towards them at full speed, yelling, "Sakura-chan!"  
  
Sakura couldn't help but smile. "Hi, Naruto."  
  
Naruto, seemingly without stopping for breath, let out a stream of questions. "Where were you? What happened? Are you hurt? When did they find you? Why did you leave? Did you hear about Sasuke?"  
  
Only the last question caught the attention of his audience. "What about Sasuke-kun..?" asked Sakura, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.  
  
Before Naruto could answer, Kakashi added, "Speaking of which, where is Sasuke?"  
  
Naruto shrugged. "Who cares?" Seeing that Kakashi wasn't about to let that go, he pouted and added, "Haven't seen him. I thought that maybe he slept in."  
  
Kakashi nodded, unsatisfied but unable to do anything about it. "Naruto, why don't you take Sakura home to get some rest? I'll go get Sasuke and I'll meet you back here in an hour, okay?"  
  
Naruto was overjoyed. "Okay, okay! I'll take good care of Sakura-chan! DOn't worry about it!"  
  
Kakashi stole a glance at Sakura. She didn't seem too in touch with what was going on around her, but for the time being he would chalk it up to the shock from whatever it was that she had seen. He had carried her straight to Tsunade's office after she came to, and during the short travel time she had not spoken. Maybe after she had rested, she would have recovered and be more forthcoming with details. He watched as Naruto walked off with Sakura. When they were out of sight he took off towards the Uchiha residence, a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him that something was very wrong. 


End file.
